


closer

by applebapple



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: F/F, Protective Toni, also there's symbols of eyes??, choni, very very heavily choni centered
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-18
Updated: 2018-05-18
Packaged: 2019-05-08 16:06:43
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 647
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14697642
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/applebapple/pseuds/applebapple
Summary: Simon: I’m done living in a world where I don’t get to be who I am. I deserve a great love story and I want someone to share it with.orToni's thoughts on Cheryl.





	closer

Toni steps up, confident in nerves, and reaches for the flag. "Not today Cha-Cha. I was born for this moment." Cheryl smirks.

 

Their eyes connect for the briefest moment of time, and Toni feels a brief moment of irritation before she turns back to Sweet Pea and watches. Cheryl waves the flag - if you can even call her dramatic pirouette a wave - and Toni pushes forward, yelling and cheering in the crowd, Cheryl becoming an afterthought.

~~~~~

Toni looks past Veronica’s shoulder, and immediately recognizes Cheryl, in her (false) Northside glory. Mild irritation quickly inflates to anger as Toni listens to more and more of Cheryl’s hate speech defaming Toni’s family, Toni’s home. She steps out, the rest of the Serpents following her steps, and defends her family passionately, ears reddening in tune with the anger coursing through her body.

 

Archie steps in between them, temporarily stopping the unavoidable conflict, but Toni keeps her eyes locked on Cheryl. Cheryl’s smirk doesn’t reach her eyes - it’s plastic, artificial, desperate; but in her anger, Toni doesn’t see anymore than what’s in front of her. Later, when she’s done fuming with Sweet Pea in the classrooms of Riverdale High, Toni thinks back to that moment, and replays it in her head.

~~~~~ 

Toni walks into the bathroom, having heard Cheryl’s conversation from outside.

 

“Did you just tell Jughead that Archie and Betty kissed?” Toni presses her lips together, the corners turning down as she considers Cheryl. Cheryl who attacked Jughead when his father was accused of murdering Jason, Cheryl who apologized with a beloved brooch.

 

“Yes. So what if I did?” Cheryl’s eyes briefly flicker to the mirror as she closes her lipstick.

 

Already on the defensive, Toni thinks, and turns to face Cheryl, their eyes connecting in sync. She listens through Cheryl’s impromptu declaration of her own superiority, and wonders of Cheryl’s pain. When Toni offers her help and reaches out to Cheryl, she thinks that they are incredibly close physically, enough to stifle lesser people. Perhaps Cheryl had the same thought, as she insults Toni as a “Sapphic Serpent” before storming out of the bathroom.

 

Toni thinks with a suppressed smile, I’ll just have to try harder. 

~~~~~ 

She comes later to the Bijou. Toni takes the chance, and steps up to greet her. Even with the harsh comments, Cheryl still looks defeated, the pressures of the day clamoring on her face. Concern rises up in Toni, and she acts upon her increasing desire to  ** _help_**  by inviting Cheryl to watch a movie with her. Her efforts are rewarded with Cheryl’s sparkling eyes, and they walk into the theater as one.

~~~~~ 

_Did you know?_

 

_I knew you had a secret. When you were little, you were so carefree. But these last few years, more and more, it’s almost like I can feel you holding your breath._ _I wanted to ask you about it, but I didn’t want to pry. Maybe I made a mistake._

 

_No. No, mom, you didn’t make a mistake._

 

_Being gay is your thing. There are parts of it you have to go through alone. I hate that. As soon as you came out, you said, “Mom, I’m still me.”_ _I need you to hear this._ _You are still you, Simon. You are still the same son who I love to tease, and who your father depends on for just about everything. And you’re the same brother who always compliments his sister on her food, even when it sucks. But you get to exhale now, Simon. You get to be more you than you have been in, . . . in a very long time._ _You deserve everything you want._

 

Maybe this was the moment where Cheryl started crying, silent tears dripping from her eyes, or maybe this was the moment when Toni felt that ache, that desire to protect and cherish and love, and she knew this was the beginning.

**Author's Note:**

> \- aghghkasdlg;ahsdk cheryl and toni are so cute!  
> \- i was heavily inspired by the scene where cheryl and toni are at pop's  
> \- the really long quote is from love,simon  
> \- this is my first fanfic!!!!!!


End file.
